watermelon candy

castillo, caturra - watermelon coferment

smallholders

san rafael (qima coffee)

risaralda, colombia

oh sweet, sweet watermelon.
while we love traditionally processed coffees, it's 2025 and we also do enjoy a good coferment, when it's done right. this coffee strikes the sweet spot for us, it tastes like its process describes, but it also doesn't overdo it. intense fruit fragrance, sugary sweetness, and a good bit of funk while not being overpowering. what we're most surprised with is its incredibly clean and lingering aftertaste. this coffee tastes like nostalgia, the sweet candy of our childhood. we didn't intend on buying a coferment when were sampling, but when we tried this, we were sure that we'd regret passing on it.

varietal: castillo, caturra
process: watermelon coferment
origin:
pereira, risaralda, colombia
elevation: 1750-1800masl
roast: light
roasted for: filter and espresso

size
$22.00

what we taste

watermelon sour patch
haribo gummybears
banana laffy-taffy

ripe fruit
sugary sweet
funky w/ clean aftertaste

watermelon candy

there's always more to know. tap in.

sourcing and traceability

this coffee comes from our sourcing collaboration with qima coffee and their experimental lineup. qima occupies a unique space in the industry because not only do they import and export, they also are a part of the growing and harvesting of many of the coffees they have. in london, they also serve these coffees, which they roast and brew: truly farm to cup.

this coffee in particular comes from smallholder farmers in risaralda, which qima works with to bring coffees from smaller farms into the spotlight.

processing details

this coffee is hand-picked at peak-ripeness. the first stage of this coffee's process is for it to undergo controlled rapid temperature changes. the cherries are then depulped for 10-12 hours before being transferred into a bioreactor with yeast, starters, and ripe watermelon. the bioreactor is hermetically sealed and nitrogen is introduced to create an oxygen-free environment, where the coffee is fermented while ph, brix, and temperature levels are monitored. once removed from the bioreactor, the coffee is washed and dried.

varietal / cultivar

caturra is a natural mutation of bourbon which rose to popularity in brazil in the 1930s, particularly for its bright acidity and clean taste. castillo was developed later, as a disease-resistant hybrid of caturra, bred to withstand the coffee leaf rust that often affects caturra, while retaining a similar acidity, cleanliness, and inherent sweetness.

specialty coffee for everyone

light roast

for you, from us

terroir-inspired

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